


Sunken Scroll 29: Love on the Splattlefield

by SquidCube



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-12-28 02:04:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21128993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SquidCube/pseuds/SquidCube
Summary: An intertwining of two stories: a flashback detailing the meeting of Agent 4, Tyler, and Marie and how their relationship grew during their mission to save Callie, and then, two weeks later, their newfound romantic feelings for each other and how they come to terms with them.Overall, a gushy emotional story of the love between two young-adult squids.





	1. Chapter 1

_ Marie led out a breath. She stood in Inkopolis Square, on top of the grate junction leading to Tentakeel Outpost. Today had marked one week since the disappearance of the Great Zapfish. Normally, she would be first to spring into action, but after she found out that Callie had disappeared as well, she had to throw that plan out the window. Not having backup, and worse, her closest friend being missing, made her worry something fierce. That left only one option: recruitment. Thankfully, in her kimono, she hadn’t been recognized by the crowds in the square. Being swarmed by fans was not ideal for her mission. _

_ Marie was certain anyone in the square could be up for the task of battle, but firstly she needed someone new, who would respond to her training, and secondly, a bit of a loner, to keep the focus on the mission above all else and keep the Squidbeak Splatoon’s secret safe. Finally, after a few minutes, she found a squid she was looking for. The inkling was a boy who looked to be close to her age, with bowl-cut cyan tentacles, plain-looking clothes, and glasses. Based on his fashion, he couldn’t have been more than Level 3. He was sitting at a table alone, looking a little awkward and nervous while he tapped at his phone. Unlike many of the other inklings present, he wasn’t surrounded by a group of friends or preoccupied with any of the bright, flashy, goings-on around him. _

_ Marie peeked her eye out from behind her parasol, studying him, certain he would work for the mission. He got up and wandered around the square haphazardly, not having anything particular in mind, but then he spotted her. The inkling turned towards Marie, giving her a curious look. Sure he was watching, she winked, and disappeared into the grate below, hoping he would follow._

* * *

TWO WEEKS AFTER THE BATTLE OF OCTO CANYON

Marie smirked as Agent 4 trudged back to Cuddlefish Cabin, covered in Octarian purple and a dramatically grumpy look on his face.

“I’m liking that new color on you, Ty.”

“Oh my goodness!” Callie snorted and started giggling at Agent 4, Tyler, who crossed his arms and looked between the two of them, ink dripping from his Hero Suit. Had it been a few weeks prior, an ink-covered Agent 4 would’ve been significantly more worrying to Marie, but thankfully, DJ Octavio had been subdued by their combined efforts, removing any of the associated danger.

On the contrary, Tyler had been sent out on a brief mission to Slimeskin Garrison to locate a group of rogue Octolings in the area. The Octolings had meant to arrive peacefully, as they were only there to find a way to the surface (and potentially get the Squid Sisters’ autographs). However, an accidental ink bomb from one of them sent Tyler on the defense, and as a result, there was a brief altercation between the agent and the Octolings. Both sides eventually realized the misunderstanding and ceased fire, but not before Tyler already had gotten soaked to the brink. Otherwise, no one had been harmed and Four managed to lead the group up to the Square. Once the Octolings were satisfied with their autographs, done gushing over the cousins, and sent on their way, Tyler turned back to his fellow agents.

“You can clean yourself off by submerging in ink, dude,” Marie said matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, I know.” he replied. “I just wanted you to see how _treacherous_ it is to be on _fan-wrangling duty_ for you two.”

Callie and Marie faux-scoffed.

“Besides, it’s not like I could’ve _possibly_ known that without having you in my ear,” he continued.

Marie stuck her tongue out at him teasingly. “May I remind you of the time you forgot where to put a key and walked around the area for _four minutes_ until I had to lead you to the vault?”

Callie snirked. “Awh, don’t be too sad, bud. It’s easy to lose track of things on the battlefield. It’s a good thing Marie was there to help! I’m just happy you two worked together so well!”

Tyler blushed a little, and Marie turned away and occupied herself to keep Callie and Four from seeing she was blushing too.

Callie continued. “Besides, let’s look at the positives! Yeah, things got a little messy, but think of those Octolings you helped! They’ll get to be fashionable and be killer at Turf War! And that’s, like, everyone’s _dream_!”

Tyler chuckled.

Marie walked up to him, towel in hand. “Callie’s got a point. You did good today, Ty. Thanks again.” She gave a soft smile and he smiled back. “Now let’s get that ink off you.”


	2. Chapter 2

_ Marie waited a minute, turning her back to the entrance to Octo Canyon as she stood in the shade of Cuttlefish Cabin. She had rehearsed this little speech for a while, and while it was a bit…dramatic, if it was one thing she knew, putting on a good show was key to get that inkling involved. She needed to show confidence and intelligence to get him on her side. She was not about to play damsel-in-distress, but deep down Marie was worried that Callie had actually ended up as one…_

_ The rattling of the pipes gave her relief knowing that she had indeed piqued his curiosity. Marie took a deep breath as she heard the splash of the inkling emerging from the ink in the pipe. She sighed “The Octarians…” loud enough for him to hear and turned around to face the recruit. _

_ He was slowly looking around, analyzing the situation, but nervously snapped to attention once he noticed Marie looking at him. _

_ “Uhhh…hi?”_

_ “Hey…you showed up! As soon as I saw you aimlessly wandering around the square, I knew you were the one.” _

_ Slightly embarrassed silence from the inkling. _

_ “I’m Marie. I know you’re probably a bit starstruck, but I need you to get over it. Yes, I’m THAT Marie. You know…from the Squid Sisters.” _

_ He gave a bit of a shrug. _

_ “You’ve never heard of me? For eel?” _

_ He looked a little surprised, maybe even apologetic. Although maybe a little upset at his lack of recognition, she was also a tiny bit relieved. She wasn’t looking forward to working with someone who would spend the whole time gushing over her, so despite the offense, this was a plus in his favor. _

_ “Well, you obviously aren’t very cultured, but you’ll have to do. See, I’ve got a little…thing I need some help with. By now you’ve heard that the Great Zapfish that powers Inkopolis Square is missing. Well, it’s not just missing-it’s been squidnapped by the Octarian menace!_

_ “How do I know this? On the surface, I may just look like an absurdly talented pop star… But in truth…I’m Agent 2 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, a secret society of heroes who save the world from Octarians!_

_ “Now, I’ve been trying to keep an eye on the Octarians in my downtime, but I’m a busy girl.” If only Callie was around to lend a hand, she thought, then decided she didn’t need to get distracted in front of the recruit. _

_ “_ _Ahem…I need YOU to go get the Great Zapfish back from those slimy Octarians! What do you say? Are you in?”_

_ The recruit was processing everything with a nervous, concerned gaze. Marie hoped she hadn’t spoken too fast throughout her monologue. She gave him a few seconds to get everything straight, then…_

_ She raised an eyebrow. “Soooooooooo…I’ll take your awkward silence as a yes.”_

_ Alarm immediately showed across his face. “Wait, wait, wait!” he exclaimed, running down from the entrance._

_ Finally, some actual words from him…even if they were…panicked, Marie thought._

_ “Just…just give a moment. Uhhh…first of all, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, I’m not very…in-tune with celebrity stuff.”_

_ Marie gave a small smirk._

_ He continued, “second, uh, you need…me? I can’t even buy stuff at the Galleria yet, are you sure that I’m the kind of squid you want? I…”_

_ Marie looked at him in the eyes earnestly. “Well…look, this is going to be different from Turf War. There are serious stakes here, but I’m going to have your back. We’ll have headsets and I’ll have video on you for immediate intel. As far as your skill…I’ll be honest, I’ve seen Level 1s who have WAY better strategy than some of the creeps you’ll face.” _

_ The recruit visibly relaxed a bit and gave a slight chuckle, which Marie saw as a good sign. _

_ “I’m a seasoned veteran, so I’ll be sure you’ll be trained and ready for anything. It won’t be easy, but, in my experience, inklings like you make the best agents. Even if you don’t talk too much.”_

_ He pondered over Marie’s words briefly, then replied: “…a…alright then, I’ll help…get the Zapfish back. If you think I can.” Then stuck out his hand and added, “OH, and my name is…TYLER, by the way.”_

_ Marie smiled and shook his hand warmly. “Welcome aboard, Tyler! You are now Agent 4 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon.” Handing him a set of Hero clothing, she continued, “I even bought you a brand-new Hero Suit as a signing bonus.”_

_ Tyler took hold of the suit and unfolded it. “Oh, uh…good, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be too threatening in my, uh, raw attire.” He gave a cautious smile as he put on the suit, and it eased Marie knowing he was regaining his a bit of his nerve…and had a decent sense of wit about him. He finished putting on the suit and spread his arms wide to show it off._

_ “And look at that - it fits like a glove!” she replied, trying to further relieve him. Not bad for an old hand-me-down, she thought. “Now, let’s go tear those Octarians limb from limb from limb from limb from limb from - well…you get the picture.”_

_ Marie handed him his Shooter and continued. “So it’s best to just jump into things. If you see anything weird looking, blast it with ink! Inking before thinking, I always say.” _

_ The newly-christened Agent 4 readied himself and cautiously began walking towards the main platform. One of the hidden kettles caught his eye. He blasted it until it was visible again, then paused to look back to Marie. She nodded, and with that, he took the step forward and descended through the kettle, which let out a burst of steam._

_ That was Marie’s cue to let out another deep breath, releasing all her tension from the recruitment spiel. She sat down on the bench in front of the cabin, putting on her headset and opening up the surveillance hacking program on her laptop. Visual opened up on Agent 4, who just splashed down into the first Octopian outpost. No time to relax, we gotta get right in, Marie told herself. _

_ “Alright then, first of all, hopefully you know about turning into your squid form and swimming through ink…I mean, it’s basic nature but…”_

* * *

Marie removed the towel from Tyler. A large purple spot was left behind on the towel, with his face being nearly clear of any offending ink. He flashed a wide grin, making Marie give a small chuckle.

“Do I look better now?” he asked teasingly.

“Back to your old dorky self.” She wrapped the towel around his shoulders and stopped to look directly into his eyes. Tyler looked back. After a moment, she coughed, gave a tug on the ends of the towel - indirectly squeezing him - and turned to go sit down next to Callie. As Tyler began to wipe the rest of the ink off, Marie asked him, “So, any big plans for the weekend? Gotta prepare for that Splatfest coming up.”

“Oh! Waffles all the way!” Callie cheered.

“Well, actually,” Tyler began, as he continued to wipe down his suit, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. How about I take over for you for a while on Octavio duty?”

“Oh?” Marie looked a little bit surprised.

Tyler shrugged. “I just feel that…it’s probably been really stressful for you two since everything went down, and I feel crummy that you’re both kind of stuck here for the time being. How long has it been since everything started?”

“Almost…a month?”

“Exactly. Which is why I’m saying that I’m cool with holding down the fort. At least for the weekend? You both deserve some time to have fun and not worry about anything.”

Marie thought about this. “I don’t know…I mean, I don’t want to take away from _your_ social time by all my responsibility and chores here on getting dumped on you.”

“Come on, Marie!” Callie joined in. “I know _tons_ of things we could do! There’s a huge sale at Arowana Mall, a whole bunch of food places, plus we need to catch up with all our friends. I bet they’ve been worried!”

“Hmm…” Marie pondered a bit more. “Ty, are you 100% sure you’re up for it?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed.

Marie sighed. “Alright, then. Maybe we should get out for a bit.” she concluded, giving Callie a smile. Callie cheered and pumped her fists in the air. Tyler gave another grin.

An hour later, Tyler returned with an overnight bag. Callie and Marie had both changed into their casual gear and began to leave towards the square.

“Don’t put on any Hypnoshades while we’re out, okay Tyler?” Marie called out as Callie led her to the grate.

“I promise.” Tyler replied, raising his hand in a mock salute. “Actually that’s a good point. Why don’t you find some cool glasses for Callie so she doesn’t have to keep putting on ones that’ll brainwash her,” he teased.

Callie blew a raspberry at Tyler. “Don’t worry, Ty, we’ll pick up something fresh for you too!”

“But seriously, let us know if anything goes wrong. Don’t go out without any backup.” Marie added.

“He’ll be fine, Marie, don’t worry! Thanks again, Four!” The two of them waved while on top of the grate. Callie went in first, but Marie waited and looked up at Tyler. He gave a wave back to her, and she smiled before putting on her face mask. Then she too descended into the pipe, leaving Tyler alone.

Tyler turned to Octavio, who was sulking in his snow globe. “Alright then, you heard them, _I’m_ in charge for the weekend. Unfortunately, I can’t cook very well, so looks like it’ll be leftover seaweed stew for both of us,” he said with a smug smirk.

Octavio grumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, while this recruitment scene is lifted from the game, there's a lot more variance in how the storyline goes from now on. As Tyler and Marie become closer, their own story will start to develop as well.


	3. Chapter 3

_It had been a week and change since the beginning of Agent 4’s missions. Marie stood by a cliff in Beaker’s Depot. It had taken a few days for Four to gain his sea legs, but soon he was excelling in every outing, and Marie was quite proud of his progress. A balloon floated in front of her. Strange, she thought, he’s usually pretty thorough about clearing these out before he… _

_ She heard the splatting of ink behind her getting closer. Ah, there he is. A stream of green ink splashed on the ground next to her, with the familiar sight of a squid speeding through it. _

_ Agent 4 stood up, readying his Hero Shot. “Looks like I missed one,” he said, aiming at the balloon. _

_ “You’re off your game today, Four. You’re getting soft on those balloons.” Marie snarkily commented._

_ “Oh?” he replied. “This should finish the job, then.” Four put down his Hero Shot and instead pulled out a Splat Bomb. He flung it at the balloon, which gave out in a green burst in mid-air. _

_ Marie, caught slightly off-guard, instinctively flung up her parasol, which caught all the splashes of the ink that came her way…except for one. She peered over the edge of her parasol, looking grumpy with a blot of lime green on her forehead._

_ “There, you inked me. You proud of yourself?” she grumbled sarcastically._

_ “Not yet.” Agent 4 gave a mischievous look and raised his Hero Shot again._

_ Marie’s eyes widened. _

_ “_ _Four. Don’t you dare.” _

_ She gasped and hid back behind her parasol while Tyler’s ink began to pelt its canopy. After ten seconds of repeated fire, he stopped to look at his handiwork. Marie peered over again to find her parasol covered in green, and gave him a further annoyed look. _

_ “That thing is a lot sturdier than some of the Brellas I’ve seen.” Tyler remarked, trying to hold back a smile._

_ “If this was a Brella,” Marie began. She thrust the parasol forward, cleanly throwing the ink off in the direction of Tyler and giving him a good splattering. Tyler, surprised, tripped and fell backwards into the ink puddle he left earlier, coating his backside as well. Marie gave a smug grin and continued, “you would’ve been splatted three times over by now.”_

_ As Tyler began to wipe himself off, Marie folded up her parasol and held out her hand to help him up. Shaking the ink off his hand, he accepted and held hers firmly as he got to his feet. They let go, and the two of them paused for a moment, quietly looking out at the canyon beyond._

_ Marie looked towards Tyler. “By the way, Four…thanks.” she told him._

_ He gave a confused look. “Oh? For the mission stuff? I mean…”_

_ “Well, yeah, that, but also…just being a cool dude. I know I put on a brave face for our missions, but honestly I’ve been…kinda worried and stressed about a lot right now. But working with you…has helped a lot.”_

_ Tyler blushed and gave a small smirk. “Oh, well…of course! No problem. We’re a team, you know?”_

_ Marie smiled back, then looked up and wiped the spot of ink from her hair. “Also, you’re very lucky that green is my color.”_

* * *

Tyler walked into Cuttlefish Cabin. It was a bit small, but there was a cozy feel to it. Since Marie had been staying here, she had taken to a tiny bit of decorating. He looked over at the fridge and couldn't help smiling. He had an hobby in drawing, and as soon as he told Marie, she immediately wanted something from him to put up. Tacked up on the fridge along with art from Callie were three pencil drawings he had done; his favorite being of Callie making a ridiculous face while Marie was trying to keep it straight.

_“Callie, what are you doing?”_

_ “Well, cuz, if he’s gonna draw us, we might as well make it fun for him!”_

_ “Oh my cod.”_

It made him feel warm inside to know the appreciation she had for him.

Sitting down on the sofa, he pulled out his phone. He kept it on silent when he was out on missions, out of common sense…and because of the one time it had alerted a nearby Twintacle Octotrooper. Opening his messages, there were a good deal of friends pestering him to see if he was around. A stark contrast to his early days in Inkopolis Square, knowing barely anyone around him. Thankfully, his time working with Marie had upped his confidence tremendously and he was happy to have found himself new friends in the square.

He tapped to the earliest message, from a friend of his named Nathan. They had run into each other after being on opposing teams for a ten-match streak and quickly stalemating each other. They hung out afterwards at the Crust Bucket, bonded over a couple of interests, and were close ever since.

The message read “Hey Ty, are you up for a Salmon Run soon?” Unfortunately, it was from a few hours ago, but Nate had a lot of people to call on, so no doubt he was able to find a crew anyways.

“Sorry about that, got swamped with my work,” Tyler typed back, “hope everything didn’t go fishy on you lol”

A minute later, a new message popped up. “No big d dude. Were a couple of griller rounds and nearly got fried but we pulled through.”

Tyler chuckled. “Ouch,” he replied. “Too bad I wasn’t there to take some of those pan bashings for you.”

“Those chum do seem to like you the most haha. anyways, I’m heading out to grab some smoothies with my crew, can you make it?”

Tyler gave a half-frown and typed back. “Ehhh it’s a bad time. I’m taking over for one of my co-workers right now. She really needed a break.”

Tyler got around not being able to tell Nate about his agent work by telling him he got a gig doing behind-the-scenes Turf War and Splatfest work. Nate, being a strict purist in regards to his ink battles, kept questions about Tyler’s work to a minimum, which suited Tyler perfectly. Still, sometimes Tyler couldn’t help but talk about some of his experiences with Marie…recontextualized, of course.

“Is this the same coworker I’ve heard about before? ;)”

“yeah…”

“The one that you’re crushing on?”

“DUDE”

“I am stating _facts_ here. I’ve noticed how much you gush about going hanging out with her :P”

Tyler’s heart started pumping a little faster. “Well I don’t know if I should put myself in that position to…you know…ask her out”

“I can tell that she is important to you, as little else as I know about her. You’ve told me a thousand times that meeting her basically changed everything for you.”

“…you’re not wrong.”

“Tell you what. Take her out to a turf war stage that isn’t being used and spell out ‘I LOVE YOU’ in huge inky letters on the ground ;P”

Tyler’s face flushed bright red. “STOP”

“lol. So maybe don’t do that. But seriously. Consider opening up about this. If you stop to think in the middle of salmon run, you’re gonna get bashed. But if there’s an opening, you need to take it”

“Does everything gotta be a Salmon Run analogy with you lol.” Tyler paused, thinking over this. “…alright, I’ll consider asking”

“_annnnnd _when you do finally become a thing, bring her out to hang with us sometime so we can all tell her how cool you are ;)”

“_haha_”

“gtg, crew is here. I’ll poke you later. Take your shot, dude”

Tyler sighed and put down his phone. He was certainly not expecting to deal with these emotions all of a sudden.

_ But_…he thought. _Maybe…Nate has a point_. He laid back on the couch and stared at the ceiling while thoughts about Marie filled his head. At least he had some time to process all of this.


	4. Chapter 4

_Tyler splashed down above the arena, taking in his surroundings. _

_ Sheldon spoke over the headset. “This is the Sanitizarium.” _

_ Tyler squinted, looking at the pipes and the Octarian ink surrounding him. “Doesn’t look very…sanitized.”_

_ “I’ve been looking through files related to this area. I’ve got a good feeling this might be helpful to you.” Sheldon’s drone flew down, dropping off the Hero Charger. Tyler picked it up and stared through the sight, getting a closer look._

_ Marie piped in. “Visuals are up. I’m thinking this is going to be another big one, Four. Stay calm and push through, you’ve got this. Don’t get too soggy.”_

_ Tyler cracked a smile. “But I’ve gotta keep things at least kinda interesting for you.” _

_ Marie rolled her eyes._

_ He stepped into the Jump Pad, landing down in the main arena, which was filled with several raised platforms._

_ He heard the familiar whirring sounds of Octocopters, and turned around to see a swarm of them descending, several holding up massive bath plugs. He maneuvered to the top of a rise in the area and managed to take down a significant percent of the offending flyers with well-placed shots, but one group managed to make it to a giant shower cap resting on the floor. The remaining Octocopters fled outside of the Charger’s reach, and Tyler turned around to see a group of them holding up the massive Octo Shower, which stared him down and let out a blaring whistle._

_ Sheldon tuned back in. “That’s the Octo Shower! You’ll need to get that plug pulled.”_

_ Marie responded. “Bring those Octocopters down, Four.”_

_ Tyler slipped backwards as the Shower fired off Octorpedoes at his platform. Swimming onto the top of another platform, he took aim, knocking off two of the Octocopters carrying it. The Octo Shower menacingly turned towards him and let out a loud whistling noise, throwing off his aim. It retreated to the opposite side of the arena and a cascade of purple ink poured from its underside. _

_ His eyes widened. “That’d be the shower then.”_

_ Marie called out through the headset. “Ink shower! Dodge to the side!”_

_ Tyler threw out a Curling Bomb to make his escape. The Octo Shower charged forward, raining down its deadly flood. Swimming through the ink trail, it looked like Tyler was in the clear, when unexpectedly, the remaining Octocopter carrying the shower pivoted around towards its squid enemy. The shower tilted and a wave of purple covered the entirety of Tyler’s stream, leaving no trace of the ink or the agent. _

_ Marie, alarmed, switched through the views she had on the arena. “Four?” she called through the radio. Flipping through the cameras more rapidly, she frantically looked for any trace of green. Her heart began to race. “Four?? TYLER!”_

_ A line of green ink flew out of the corner of the shot, taking out the remaining Octocopter up top. The Octoshower fell to the ground and a large octopus tentacle burst out of the cap. Marie switched over, finding a purple-coated agent looking through the sight of his Charger, with his headset laying lopsided on his face. Taking advantage of the pause in attack, he readjusted his headphones. _

_ “Sorry, did I miss anything important? That spray caught me a little off-guard.”_

_ Marie let out a breath, her chest pounding. “N-no, nothing. Blast the tentacle, Agent 4!”_

_ “Got it.” Tyler swam forward to get the Octoshower in his sights, then fired on its weak point._

_ Marie ran her hands down her face. That was a closer situation than anything Tyler had been in before. She knew he was plenty capable, but suddenly found herself more than a little anxious. As she watched the feed, Tyler displayed his battle prowess, managing to take out another group of Octocopters hoisting the Shower and nailing the exposed tentacle again. Despite the Shower pulling out a hand crank and then even a Sting Ray, the agent competently weaved through the crossfire to blast back at the mighty weapon. Finally, the Octo Shower collapsed to the ground a third time, its tentacle helplessly flailing. _

_ Marie turned on the communication one more time: “Now, Agent 4! End it!” and Tyler let loose, destroying the diabolical shower head._

_ While Tyler walked forward to claim the Zapfish, Marie fell backwards into her chair. She slowly breathed in and out, bringing her heart rate down, but still couldn’t help feeling a bit panicked about Tyler’s near-miss. _

_ “I’ll meet you down at the boss kettle, Four.”_

_Tyler exited the kettle in Slimeskin Garrison, finding Marie waiting for him on the platform while the sun was lowering in the sky. He handed off the Zapfish to her, and in his exhaustion, Tyler secretly found himself a little enamored seeing her framed against the sunset._

_ “Good work, Four! You showered down the pain on them.” Marie said, handing Tyler a water bottle._

_ “I didn’t manage to stay too dry myself,” he commented._

_ “Uh, yeah, I noticed! How about not scaring me like that again?” Marie playfully shoved his shoulder._

_ Tyler’s eyes widened. “Oh geez, sorry about that! I know I joked about ‘entertainment’ and all but I didn’t wanna…you know, **terrify** you.” _

_ Marie sighed and gave a smile. “You made it through, Four, that’s what’s important.”_

_ The two of them were silent for a moment, looking at each other. _

_ Tyler looked away first, commenting, “uh, actually, I am…pretty thirsty,” and sucked down half of the water bottle in one gulp. After catching his breath, he asked her, “So, what’s the plan for now? We heading any further tonight?”_

_ “Um…nah, it’s getting late. Plus you look pretty wiped out. Might need an actual shower.”_

_ Tyler smirked. “Well…maybe a little. Alright, then, so…I’ll see you tomorrow?” He turned to leave. _

_ “Actually…why don’t you spend the night instead? To unwind and stuff.”_

_ Tyler stopped and turned back around. “Oh?”_

_ “Yeah, we’ll have dinner, watch a few movies, no big deal. I’ve kinda been wanting to get to know you a bit better…outside of the battlefield, of course. You down?”_

_ Tyler blushed slightly. “Oh, uh…yeah, sure!”_

_ “Great! Let me just drop this guy off,” Marie said, patting the Zapfish on the head, “and we can head over.”_

* * *

In the meantime, Callie and Marie were plenty enjoying their day out together. At Arowana Mall, they had both bought several more pieces of fashionable clothing and shoes, and now, like Callie promised, they were both trying to find clothes for Tyler.

“What kind of designs does he like again?” asked Callie, rifling through the rack.

Marie, doing the same opposite Callie, responded, “Dude super loves those 8-bit designs for shirts and hats. He also looks nice wearing those huge flannel jackets…oh, and probably anything with teal.”

Callie pulled out a t-shirt with an 8-bit squid on it from an older SQES game. “Like this?”

Marie gave a thumbs-up. “Perfect!”

Callie turned back to the rack and suddenly a mischievous smile grew across her face. She held up another t-shirt and asked, “Do you think we should get him this too?”

Marie looked up and snickered; Callie was holding a fluorescent blue shirt with the Squid Sisters logo on it. “Absolutely! He’ll thank us for it once he comes to a concert and becomes our biggest fan.”

Both of them laughed, pulled out the shirt to keep, and moved on to continue looking.

Sometime later, they had finished their shopping, and stopped to grab food at the Crust Bucket.

Sitting down at a table with their wares, Callie exclaimed, “Finally! It’s been so long since I had something this disgustingly greasy. All the Octarians gave me to eat was this ‘fortified kelp meal’ sludge. The only flavors it came in were salt or no salt!”

Marie chuckled and took a bite out of her Seanwich. “Actually, I feel kinda bad we’re eating here without Tyler.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, back when we were doing missions, there were a couple of food tickets laying around that he found. I was like ‘I’m jealous; I haven’t had a hot dog in so long’ or something like that and he told me ‘don’t worry, after all this is over, I’m taking you out for hot dogs; my treat.’”

A smile grew on Callie’s face, and she gushed. “Awww! How sweet!”

Marie smiled too. “I mean, I told him of course that I’m the rich one, and I’d definitely pay for us, but…yeah.” She blushed a tiny bit and took a sip out of her soda.

Callie leaned forward, studying Marie. “Hmmm…you know, it’s good that you brought that up, because _I_ actually wanted to talk to you about him.”

Marie showed a tiny bit of surprise. “O-oh? What do you mean?”

“Actually…more about _you_ and him.”

Marie picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth and also hide that she was blushing even more.

Callie gave a knowing smile. “Marie. You know how well I can read these sorts of things. Especially on you. I can tell that there’s definitely something there.”

Marie crossed her arms. “Well, I mean, yeah, he’s really sweet, and super fun, and a little bit of a dork…”

“A huge dork.”

Marie surrendered. If there’s one thing Callie knew, it was Marie’s emotions. “Okay yeah, I…like him a little bit. He’s been a really great guy from the beginning, and thoughtful, and a great teammate, but…I don’t know if I wanna ask about…”

Callie interrupted. “_But_…I think he likes you too.”

Marie looked seriously at Callie. “What makes you think so?”

“I’ve seen you two together. I’ve taken a look at all the mission transcripts. Every time one of you quipped, the other quipped back. All of the teasing and those cute little compliments you two snuck in towards each other. I can tell for certain that you two have a huge amount of chemistry and that both of you _really_ enjoy spending time together.”

Callie winked. “Plus, I’ve noticed a few things about him recently, too. Exhibit A…” She reached into her purse and pulled out the Agent 4 Factopedia.

“Oh my cod, you brought that with you?”

Callie shushed Marie and dropped the Factopedia on the table. “Now, do you remember last week when we were talking about our favorite ink weapons?”

“Yeah, Tyler’s a Shooter guy.”

“And you said how your favorite was the Charger?”

“I…don’t see what you’re getting at.”

“My point is, I’ve noticed a trend in all his battles since then. I’ve highlighted and circled everything for you.” Callie pushed the Factopedia over to Marie, opened to the most recent pages. Marie looked over the data; under weapon, each highlighted text showed that Tyler was using Chargers.

“I mean, there’s only nine classes to choose from. Maybe he just found a new favorite?”

“Ok, I’d understand that if he was winning, but get this. He absolutely _whomps_ with Chargers.” Callie pointed to a scribbled note at the bottom. “His win rate went from nine out of ten to one out of ten! I think he's trying to get better with it outside of agent work. It’s kind of hilarious actually…and adorable! Somebody wants to impress you!”

Marie put the book down, thinking over everything. “Well…he could certainly benefit from a few Charger lessons from me.”

Callie placed her hand on Marie’s shoulder. “Look cuz, I notice a _lot. _I could bring up thousands more examples to show how much he cares. Maybe you’re thinking that he’s just being nice but I can tell that he really wants to make you happy. Even today, he wanted to give up his weekend and was willing to give up more too because he was worried about you.”

Marie brought her hand up to Callie’s on her shoulder and squeezed. “I guess you’re thinking that I should talk to him, then.”

“I think that he _does_ make you really happy, and telling him will be absolutely worth it.”

Marie reached over and hugged Callie. “Thanks, cuz.”

Callie hugged back. After a moment, she said, “I think we should be set for today. You’ve got a lot on your mind, so let’s finish eating, and I’ll drive us home, ok?”

Marie nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

_ Tyler stepped out of the bathroom in Cuttlefish Cabin, having freshened up and returned to his casual wear. Towel over his shoulder, he walked into the main room and dropped the duffel bag with his Hero Suit by the sofa. In the small kitchen, Marie was boiling a pot of water on the stove and pulling various vegetables out of the beat-up old refrigerator._

_ Noticing Tyler’s entry, Marie turned to him. “So, I felt like a home-cooked meal might’ve been nicer to bond over instead of takeout. Only thing is, I haven’t had many chances to go grocery shopping, and Gramps loves his seaweed stew.” She pulled out a cutting knife. “So I hope you like veggies.”_

_ “Wellllllll, it’s not a deep-fried Shwaffle, but I don’t think I’ll mind.”_

_ “Hey, this won’t be just any seaweed stew. I’ve perfected the craft over the years to make it the most delish. Anyways, it’ll be a few minutes to get all of these chopped, so you can chill for the time being.”_

_ “Hmm…well why don’t I help you?”_

_ “Oh? Are you sure? You were pretty exhausted.”_

_ Tyler shrugged. “Nah, it feels weird to have you cooking for me.” He added teasingly, “Besides, we’re supposed to be teammates. We should be helping each other with everything.”_

_ Marie smirked, pulled out another knife, and handed it to Tyler. “Alright, Mr. Teammate. But don’t try to wimp out when I tell you to start cutting the onion.”_

_ An hour later, Marie had put the finishing touches on the stew and brought out two bowls to the table, setting one down in front of Tyler. “All done! I think this is probably the best I’ve made it so far.” _

_ Tyler scooped up a spoonful of veggies, blew on it, and put it in his mouth. His face lit up. “Oh my goodness! Dude, this is great!” He immediately got another spoonful._

_ “Told you,” replied Marie, smugly, before taking a spoonful herself._

_ As Tyler dug into the stew, Marie continued. “So, yeah, I told you that I wanted a chance for us to know each other better.”_

_ Tyler looked up from his bowl. “Mm-hmm?”_

_ “I’ll start. Anything you wanna know about me that’s not on my about page?”_

_ “Hmmmm…were you always snarky?”_

_ “**Ha ha.** Only when I’ve needed to be. Which is…most of the time. Even back when we were kids, I remember teasing Callie a lot.”_

_ “Now I’m just imagining a sassy little preteen Marie.”_

_ Marie chuckled. “You joke, but it’s probably part of the reason why the chemistry between us has been so good. I always love teasing her,” she replied with a smirk._

_ “Has it ever gotten you into trouble?”_

_ “Oh my cod, has it ever. I was such a diva. I mean…technically, I still am, but you get the point. I remember being so grumpy sitting inside for recess having to write an essay about ‘respecting the teacher.’” Marie snorted._

_ “Oh man, that happened to me once, but for getting into a loud argument with another squid. I was a total wreck. Absolute teacher’s pet, right here.”_

_ “I probably would’ve called you a nerd if we were in school together,” Marie replied matter-of-factly._

_ “That hasn’t stopped you now.”_

_ “To be fair, you are a nerd.”_

_ Tyler chuckled. “So, more about Callie and you. You said that you’ve been friends since all the way back then?”_

_ “Well, not always. For a few years, it was kinda awkward. You know how family is. Forced interactions and sometimes being a bit mean to each other. I, uh…may have bullied her a little bit.”_

_ “Wow, really? What did you do?”_

_ “Uh, you know…name-calling…hair-pulling.”_

_ “Geez, kid you was savage.”_

_ “Oh, shush. You know how kids can be. And it’s not like I’m proud of it! It spoke a lot of her that she kept trying to be my friend through all of that.”_

_ “And then everything changed**.**”_

_ “Honestly. She walked on me sitting in my room while I was doing my hair and makeup. I was singing quietly to myself, but she noticed and joined in. We sort of…clicked then and we were inseparable since. Started constantly hanging out and practicing together, and then there was the Inkopolis singing contest, and well…you know the rest. Assuming you’ve done the required reading.”_

_ “I wasn’t aware there was going to be a quiz on my Squid Sisters knowledge or I would’ve studied.”_

_ “You always gotta be prepared with your Squid Sisters knowledge, especially if you’re my friend.” Marie set down her spoon, and placed her chin in her hand, inquisitively looking at Tyler. “But, let’s talk more about you. Where are you from?”_

_ “I’m from the east coast, near Squidsburgh.”_

_ “Oh geez, that’s far. Did you come with someone to make the trip from there?”_

_ Tyler’s face changed into a half-frown. “Well…uh…no, I just came on my own.”_

_ Marie noted that it seemed a bit of a sensitive topic for him and changed the subject. “Well, let’s see…what kind of stuff are you into? Besides splatting octo-jerks, of course.”_

_ “Hmm…where should I start?”_

_ Marie fiddled with her phone. “Why don’t I send you the list of Splatfests I did?”_

_ Tyler snorted. “Why, so I can agree with you?”_

_ “I am objectively right most of the time.”_

_ “Even when you lost?”_

_ Marie scoffed playfully. Tyler’s phone buzzed, and he skimmed down the list he was sent._

_ “Let’s see…cats or dogs…dogs, early or night…night owl…_

_ “All good so far.”_

_ “Art or science…now this is a tricky thing. You see, I’m kind of both.”_

_ “Really?”_

_ “Yeah, like, I kinda learned both from my parents. Art from mom, science from dad. So, I’m planning on studying chemistry-related stuff when I go back to school, ink formulas and colors and stuff, but I still work on lot on…sketches and drawings and things in the meantime. I think I have a couple of pics of them on my phone…”_

_ “Oh! Show me!”_

_ Tyler tapped the photos app on his phone and passed it to Marie. “I like doing character design. Like comic books and cartoons and stuff, but I do a few still-lives and portraits every once in a while. It’s nothing too big…”_

_ Marie scrolled through the photos. “Dude, these are cool!” She held up the phone, showing she was looking at a drawing of a video game character. “How often do you work on these?”_

_ “Not often enough, probably. I’ve kinda dropped off a bit since moving here.”_

_ “You know, Callie would really love these. She’s super into these kind of drawings. Now, I’ve got some good experience in visual art, but she used to cover the walls of our apartment in all the work she did.” Marie gestured, spreading her arms out to reflect the entirety of the space. “In fact…I’ve kinda missed it. I’ve been trying to liven up this cabin a little since I’ve been staying here, but she’s a lot better at it than I am. It would be nice to have something up on the wall though.”_

_ “I bet you’d super appreciate having a, uh, ‘Tyler Original’ to look at, huh?”_

_ Marie perked up. “Oh, really? Would you want to?”_

_ Tyler blushed a little. “Oh, well, I was just…kidding, I mean, you probably don’t…”_

_ “No, no, seriously! I’d love to have something like this from you! Maybe we could work on it together?”_

_ “Oh, uh…okay!”_

_ Marie beamed. “Great! We can figure some stuff out, not right now of course, but…it’ll be nice to make this place homier, and I’m sure Gramps would appreciate it.” Marie handed Tyler’s phone back. “Any of the other topics hit your fancy?”_

_ Tyler scrolled down the Splatfest list and his eyes widened. “Oh geez, I heard about this one, even with me living under a rock.”_

_ “Which one?”_

_ “You vs. Callie.”_

_ “Oh fish, I couldn't forget that one.”_

_ Tyler put on a mock thinking face. “Who to choose…”_

_ “Well, you’re smart, Four, I know you’ll make the right choice.”_

_ Tyler crossed his arms, and with a mischievous smirk said, “Callie.”_

_ Marie gave a faux-shocked gasp and gave Tyler a kick under the table as he laughed. “I remember back when those results came out. To be honest, I was pretty sure she was going to win. We both have our fans, but, you know, she’s the adorable, perky one. She’s a shoo-in for that kind of popularity, and…I’m just grouchy old me.”_

_ “Do you want me to call you adorable to make you feel better?”_

_ Marie chuckled. “Thanks. I guess what I'm trying to say is…I feel like that maybe Callie should’ve won, or more like…I didn’t deserve it, I guess.” And maybe if she won, she’d still be here… she thought._

_ Tyler’s face sank._

_ Marie seemed a little surprised at what she had said. She sulked slightly and looked away, wincing. “Sorry, I shouldn't have…”_

_ Tyler quickly responded. “No, no, no, don’t apologize. It’s…” He scratched his head looking for the words. “The whole thing with Splatfests…which is objectively better is…a thing when it comes to actual people, it’s…hmm.” _

_ He looked down at his nearly finished stew, aimlessly moving his fork around while in thought. “Let me tell you something that might actually make you feel better.”_

_ Marie sat up. “Hm?”_

_ “So, when you found me…I was still pretty raw when it came to everything. I mean, you saw how I was.” _

_ Marie nodded. _

_ “So, I kinda got to the party…a year or two late, I suppose. I had a whole bunch of friends back home a while back, but they were ready to pull the trigger and head out for Inkopolis for all the excitement back when Callie and you were still hosting. I was hesitant, I guess, and the majority of them…went on without me._

_ “It eventually pushed me to come here a few years later, and I was hoping to reconnect with them, but I guess they’ve moved on at this point, and making friends otherwise was difficult…” he added somberly. He gave a half-frown, and leaned back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. “So that kind of put a damper on…everything since I came here.”_

_ After a moment, Marie asked Tyler, “Are you still…you know…lonely?”_

_ Tyler looked back at Marie and shook his head. “Oh, no, not anymore. I mean, I have…you, of course,” Tyler said, his face reddening. “But more than that, I’m…” He struggled figuring out what to say for a bit._

_ Tyler sighed. “The point I’m trying to make is, when I got here, I was nervous, didn’t have much in experience, and barely knew anyone. Getting to work with and be friends with you…changed things for me, a lot.” A slight blush came across Marie’s face. “I’ve leveled up, I’ve got friends. I feel a lot more confident now, like I’ve really…improved as a squid. And…I can thank you for that.”_

_ Marie was a bit speechless._

_ “And maybe with this whole Splatfest thing…maybe you won it because you did deserve it. Maybe you think Callie is more ‘likeable’ than you, but…maybe you winning was your fans showing you that even if you’re not a typical ‘perky pop star,’ there are squids that appreciate you nonetheless._

_ “And if that’s not enough, then maybe it will be to also know that…there’s definitely one squid who likes you earnestly.” Tyler looked at Marie with a sincere, empathetic gaze._

_ Marie blushed, but quickly retorted, “You mean Grandpa?”_

_ Tyler was caught off-guard. “Well, uh, I mean, yeah, but I meant…”_

_ A grin grew across Marie’s face. “I know what you meant, you dork. And…thanks.”_

_ “Of course.”_

_ Both of them were silent for a brief moment. Then, Marie got up from the table and took Tyler’s plate. “Looks like we’re both done, so I’ll get a shower, and then why don’t we take a look at those movies?”_

_ “Took me forever to convince Gramps to get Wi-Fi down here. I don’t know how long I would’ve lasted if I couldn’t keep track of my social media in my downtime,” said Marie as she booted up her laptop. The two of them were sitting down on the small sofa with Marie’s laptop on the table in front of them. _

_ “Movie night isn’t going to be anything big, but I hope you don’t mind.”_

_ Tyler relaxed onto the back of the sofa. “No, not at all.”_

_ Marie opened up a browser to Wetflix and began scrolling down the list. “Now let’s see…what are interested in watching? There’s Squidsney, sci-fi, mystery, action…”_

_ Suddenly, the communication radio, placed on the floor, gave a loud static roar, startling both inklings. Both of them stared, confused at the device, and Marie cautiously picked up both it and her headset._

_ “Does that…usually happen?” Tyler asked worriedly._

_ “No…even if I just left it on, it shouldn’t be giving off static…unless it’s picked up some transmission from nearby…” Turning to Tyler she pointed to the laptop. “Minimize that and open the sonar-looking software on the desktop.”_

_ Tyler deftly did so; it was a program connected to the radio, tracking the source of the noise. _

_ “Let’s see if we can make heads or tails of this…”_

_ Almost as if on cue, a faint voice began to come out of the receiver. Tyler picked up some of the audio: “Ru-! Le--- now and nev-- -ook back!”_

_ Marie warily put on the headset and turned it on, while looking back and forth between Tyler and the receiver. _

_ “Are…uh…are you holding the phone upside down?”_

_ Brief silence from the radio, then some shuffling, and a familiar female voice spoke clearly: “Ugh…I totally was.”_

_ Immediate shock came over Marie’s face, and she quickly turned to the radio. _

_ “CALLIE?!” _

_ Tyler’s eyes widened with surprise._

_ The voice spoke again, more frantic: “Um…nope, this is definitely not Callie! So just…leave. It’s dangerous here! And it’s not safe at all!”_

_ Marie glanced over at the program, which was slowly triangulating the signal. Trying to keep the line active, she anxiously responded, “Ummmmm…don’t those mean the same thing?” and immediately facepalmed._

_ Callie quickly and harshly rebutted. “WHATEVER! JUST GET OUT OF HERE! I’m not calling again!” The radio went dead._

_ Marie panicked, calling into the headset. “W-wait! Don’t go! Callie?! CALLIE!”_

_ Tyler looked over at the tracking software. It minimized the location to Cephalon HQ, one of the deepest areas in Octo Canyon and farther than he had ever stepped. _

_ Both of them stared at the laptop screen in silence for a while, then Tyler heard sniffling. He turned to Marie, and his heart dropped when he noticed her eyes beginning to well up._

_ “Marie, I…” he began, but was interrupted as Marie quickly wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his shoulder. He felt her tears through his shirt, and he laid his hands on her back reassuringly, holding her closely._

_ After a few seconds, she got back up and wiped away a tear. _

_ “_ _I’m sorry, that came all of a sudden, I didn’t mean to…”_

_ “No, you’re fine, really.” Tyler placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed._

_ “Thank you.” she replied. “I…I can’t believe it. Could Callie really be working with the Octarians?” She sighed. “Agent 4. Tyler. I need your help now more than ever. I…hate asking so much of you, but…”_

_ Tyler unzipped his duffel bag and pulled out the Hero Suit. “Don’t worry. Things got just that much more serious. I’m ready and behind you, no matter what.”_

_ Marie smiled and another tear fell from her cheek. She stood up off the couch then held out a hand to Tyler. He threw his duffel bag over his shoulder, took her hand, and stood up as well. She composed herself briefly, then looked at Tyler. “Get ready to head out in ten minutes. I’ll poke Sheldon and meet you at the jump to Cephalon HQ.”_

_ Tyler nodded._

_ Marie put on her headset. “Let’s go get Callie back.”_

* * *

Callie was certainly right: Marie couldn’t stop thinking about everything during the car ride and even when they had gotten home. About Tyler. About how she felt and if he liked her back. Even trying to distract herself with a book or magazine, it ultimately just turned back to him. Things he would like, jokes he would make, what she would snarkily respond back to him. She thought about his goofy grins and the caring smiles he gave her so often, and she melted a little on the inside.

Lying on a couch in Callie’s and her living room, she looked at the time on her phone. Nearly midnight. She sighed and opened her phone, and found herself going to her photo gallery, scrolling until she found photos they had taken, selfies of them all together, funny pictures of Tyler being a goof. Marie closed her eyes and decided that, now, with everything Callie had told her, she couldn’t wait until Monday to see Tyler again. She took a deep breath in, and then got up.

She found a pen and a piece of paper and wrote a quick note to Callie, telling her where she was going, and then grabbed a blanket, the bag of the clothes she bought, and her car keys. Marie felt nervous, even more than she had with any of their concerts before, but she also felt a deep determination bubbling up within as she walked out their front door.


	6. Chapter 6

_It had been a long night. _

_ An hour after the radio signal, Tyler found himself in the middle of a battle arena, facing the dreaded DJ Octavio. Octavio was opposite, re-calibrating his turntables and glaring menacingly, while Callie, brainwashed and helpless to the rhythms and high-tech glasses, continued her performance on top of the stereo machine. _

_ Tyler glanced at his surroundings; the stands on all sides were filled to the brim with Octarians of all varieties, cheering and waving glowsticks. He was breathing heavily. Adrenaline had been coursing through him to get him through the night, but the stress and weariness was beginning to reach him. _

_ Octavio threw a pair of punches; the first spinning rapidly. It knocked Tyler backward into a puddle of green, but he recovered just in time to deflect the second, sending it careening into Octavio. Callie staggered on-stage, losing her concentration in the middle of the refrain of Bomb Rush Blush. Once she recovered, she sent a snarl Tyler’s way and continued with her song._

_ Tyler radioed in. “I don’t know her that well, but I thought Callie was supposed to be the…nicer one out of you two.”_

_ Marie responded. “Oh no, it’s definitely those glasses. Trust me, Callie is a total sweetheart…actually! I just thought of something! Just…hold your ground for a little while longer, Four, I’m on my way! Sheldon, do you have any…” _

_ The voices on the radio tuned out and Tyler returned his focus to battle. A volley of octopus balls flew out of Octavio’s dashboard, erupting into purple geysers wherever they landed. Tyler managed to take a few of them out of the air, but enough landed to form a wall of Octarian ink keeping him from escaping backwards._

_ “I’ve got you at bay, inkling. No swimming away now!” Octavio charged up his fists into a frenzied spin, preparing to launch._

_ Tyler braced, looking for an exit. His armor wouldn’t stand much longer, and if he lost that, he’d be a squid in a barrel. Just enough ink for one Curling bomb, and he’d have to be careful with his timing to avoid Octavio’s aim and make a clean getaway._

_ The fists nearly had reached full charge. Time seemed to slow down for Tyler as he reached for a bomb. He drew back his arm to release when suddenly the music in the arena stopped. _

_ Octavio, surprised, hesitated for a split second, giving Tyler the extra time needed to slip underneath the projectile mitts. He emerged from the ink trail a few yards away in temporary safety, then paused, hearing a buzzing coming through the arena's stereos. _

_ Octavio, annoyed, rapidly flicked switches on his dashboard to amend the issue. “You dare to interrupt my victory concert! I’ll…”_

_ Then a familiar voice rang through the speakers. _

_ “This song is dedicated to my lost cousin Callie and my close friend Four!” _

_ Tide Goes Out began playing, with a voice that gave Tyler a surge of warmth. Callie frantically looked around the arena to find the source of the offending voice as a van flew in from the outskirts. It was being driven by Sheldon, and a makeshift stage with a Squid Sisters logo was on built on top, carrying Marie in her stage outfit on the roof with her Hero Charger, keeping her balance while singing her heart out. _

_ Octavio angrily threw more punches at Tyler, but having Marie there on support had given him a further boost, and he knocked back the next few attacks without missing a beat. At a break in the song, the van flew to face the front of Octavio’s machine. In a split second, Marie masterfully aimed her charger and pulled the trigger, sending a line of ink flying into Callie and knocking the hypnoshades to the ground._

_ “NO! The hypnoshades!” cried Octavio._

_ Callie clutched her head and stumbled around on the stage. “Blushing…bombs…ugh...Marie?…”_

_ Marie called out to Tyler from the van. “The low-tide ink is sinking in! Lay into Octavio while she’s stunned!”_

_ Tyler gave her a smile and a thumbs-up and readied his shooter. The van retreated to an orbit around the stadium as Marie continued her song. The audience was swayed by her voice, infuriating Octavio. _

_ What Octavio wasn’t expecting was for the song to reach Tyler as well, filling him with all of the energy he needed. Fist after fist after fist was fired off in a fury, but none of them hit their intended mark as Tyler zipped around the arena, leaving trails of green streaking across the floor. Octavio was scrambling to catch up, and had barely even launched an attack before Tyler leaped up in front of him, painted a punch green, and returned it back to sender, ejecting Octavio and sinking him in an ink puddle._

_ All action ceased when Tyler heard Callie yell out from on top of the machine. “I…I remember! Marie!” Tide Goes Out faded away as the van zoomed in close._

_ “Sheldon, start the Inkantation!” Marie leaned over the railing on the van, holding a hand out to Callie. Callie leaped out, grabbing hold of Marie, who lifted her up next to her on the stage. _

_ Marie looked down at Callie’s waist tattoo. “That better not be permanent.” _

_ The van zoomed off to Tyler as the Calamari Inkantation began to play._

_ In the midst of all this distraction, Octavio managed to climb back into his robot, readying his engines to take off. A drone flew out of the van, dropping a weapon package into Tyler’s hands. _

_ Sheldon’s voice chimed in Tyler’s ear. “This is a modified Rainmaker! Charge it up and take Octavio down.” Tyler holstered his shooter and readied the golden blaster as Octavio begin his ascent. _

_ “I’ve hacked in ink rails climbing upwards. Don’t let him escape!”_

_ Tyler gave a short salute to Sheldon, then jumped onto the inkrail that grew out in front of him. He gave a wave at the Squid Sisters as he passed them upwards, and Marie winked as they continued the chorus. _

_ Octavio turned around, charging up his gauntlets. Despite Tyler trapped on the narrow railing, Octavio still found it hard to land a hit as Tyler deftly jumped and swam through the rail in tune with Callie and Marie’s rhythm. Even as Octavio kept him busy, Tyler still found enough time to land exploding blasts from the Rainmaker, slowly coating Octavio’s robot. In his frustration, Octavio let a straight punch go, and as he realized his mistake, Tyler had already capitalized. Octavio braced as the fury of a Rainmaker flew towards his face packaged in gold-plated knuckles._

_ The machine staggered and sputtered as it spun down to the arena floor. The head of the inkrail abruptly dipped downward towards the machine, and Tyler kept his gaze level on the defeated Octavio as he followed. _

_ Marie broke from the song to call out into her microphone. “Now, Four! Strike the final blow!” _

_ Tyler brought a full charge to the Rainmaker, raised it above his head and leaped from the rail._

_ Octavio sighed. _

_ “Again. So sad.”_

_ Tyler brought down the Rainmaker on the machine, and a colossal sphere of ink expanded outward, knocking him to the ground. When the smoke cleared, the DJ’s machine was decimated, leaving Octavio lying face down on the neon green floor and the Great Zapfish flopping around anxiously._

_ The van landed, and Marie stepped off next to the Zapfish, looking around the stage. “Four?” _

_ To her left, she heard a groan. It was hard to see amongst all the ink, but a green-coated Tyler lifted himself from off the ground. He shook his body, flinging ink everywhere._

_ “Hey, no fair, I left my umbrella in the van!” Marie laughed._

_ Tyler took off his glasses and wiped them on his jacket. “I hope I gave a spectacular performance for you from all the way down here.”_

_ Marie gave him a brief hug. “You did fantastic, Ty.”_

_ Tyler caught his breath for a second. “Hey, I…I couldn’t have lasted without you.”_

_ Marie smiled. “Oh yeah, speaking of, was that your first live Squid Sisters song?”_

_ “I was blown away.”_

_ “It’s a shame that I always give my best performances on the middle of battle. Still, I’m glad that...you of all squids got to hear it.”_

_ Both were distracted by a splat behind them. They turned to see Callie getting up from the ground, her front covered in ink. She staggered to her feet, wiped her face clean and blinked a few times. _

_ “MARIE!” Callie ran up to Marie, gripping her in a gooey green hug. A dopey smile grew across Callie’s face, and Marie reached up and put her hand on Callie’s hand._

_ “Oh, uh, maybe a bit weird for introductions, but Four, meet Callie. Callie, meet…”_

_ Callie gasped. “Agent Four? More like…Agent BORE!” She laughed obnoxiously and blew a raspberry, squeezing Marie tighter._

_ Tyler gave Marie a weird smirk. “Is she…uh…”_

_ Marie responded quickly. “So, after what you said, I had Sheldon hook me up with some, uh…’heavy-duty’ low-tide ink.”_

_ Tyler gave a knowing nod. Low-tide ink was used in small doses for any troublemakers in Turf Wars. One hit with the stuff gave even the most grumpy squid warm fuzzy feelings, so it was good to break up any fights. Still, even then, it was fairly diluted._

_ “I figured the best way to counteract all that brainwashing was a little positivity. Unfortunately, we may have overdone it, so she’s a little…drunk on happy right now.” _

_ Callie responded with a gigantic smile, then leaped onto Tyler, burying him in an unbearably tight hug. “Thank you for rescuing meeeeeee!”_

_ Tyler strained, looking at Marie for help. “Is…this the low-tide ink too?”_

_ Marie grinned, clearly enjoying herself. “No, that’s pretty on-par for a Callie hug.” She pried the giddy squid off of him, and Callie returned to smothering Marie._

_ Sheldon spoke up from behind them. “I think we’ve wrapped everything up here.” In the meantime, he had strapped the Zapfish onto the van, with Octavio squished up grumpily against it._

_ Marie held a hand out to Tyler, which he gladly took, and she led the three of them back on top of the van, sitting down as it took off. The Octarians in the audience obliviously cheered as the van climbed up into the air towards the open ceiling._

_ Tyler sighed and looked towards Marie. “I guess there went our movie night.”_

_ Marie smirked. “Oh well. I’d invite you back now but uh…it’s been an intense few hours.” Marie opened up her phone, showing the time as just past four in the morning. “Oof…yeah, let’s maybe take a rain check.”_

_ Tyler leaned back against the back of the stage. “Honestly, I could probably sleep for a week now.”_

_ The two of them looked up as the mechanical backdrop of Cephalon HQ gave away to the vast night sky. Callie began mumbling contently to herself about the stars before falling asleep on Marie’s shoulder._

_ Marie turned to Tyler, reaching out to hold his shoulder. “Thanks again, Ty, for everything. I was being snarky when I said this before a while back, but seriously this time…you’re my hero, dude.”_

_ Tyler grinned wearily. “And, you’re my…pop star.” _

_ “You know it.” _

* * *

Tyler anxiously stared into the darkness. Despite the room being nearly pitch-black, he found that he couldn’t relax and that his mind, much like Marie’s, was racing. The only source of light in the room was a digital clock reading half past twelve. Forcing himself to look away from the clock, he gazed up at the ceiling for a bit, until finally he let out a sigh of frustration and got up from his spot on the couch, pulling the blanket around him. He turned on the light and moved his hands through his hair, trying to get all his thoughts straight. Pulling out his phone, he opened the messages app, looking back through his texts from Nate, then through ones from Marie. He felt antsy sitting down, so he put on his sweat jacket and walked outside.

“Okay,” he began, pacing back and forth in front of the cabin and talking out loud to himself. “Just need to get some of this stuff out of my head. Putting these things down always helps.” Nate’s suggestion came to mind.

_Does that mean I need to start thinking up ways to…confess to Marie?_ He scoffed. Opening his phone back up, he sighed again, pulling out his Notes app.

Titling the note simply “Marie,” he typed out the first thing that came to mind. “Spell out ‘I lo-_like_ you’ in ink.” It was a crummy idea, but it was a starting point, he supposed. Tyler didn’t like the idea of some sort of ‘grand gesture’ and he wasn’t sure Marie would either.

He thought back to the dinner they had together, and remembered how genuine and close they were that night. Maybe he needed something like that? After all, they didn’t ever end up having their movie night. He felt a small fluttering in his chest and let out a breath. He typed down that train of thought into the note.

Already, he felt his thoughts beginning to calm down, but at the same time, he wanted to keep thinking about her. Tyler closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, then crossed his arms. He looked out at the vast canyon at night, lit up by the moon, feeling much more settled. Hopefully, that was enough for now. He was, at least, glad he had the rest of the weekend until Marie was to come back, so maybe he’d have enough time to figure out _some_ sort of game plan and emotionally prepare himself for talking to her about his feelings.

Suddenly, there was a rumbling and creaking of the pipes below him. Tyler was confused for a moment when he realized he was hearing the pipes that had led from Inkopolis Plaza. He turned around to face the entrance grate, only for his heart to shoot up into his throat when he saw a familiar squid with an umbrella emerge with a green splash.


	7. Chapter 7

Marie folded up her umbrella and tucked it under her arm. She was wearing pajama pants and a sweat jacket, and holding her purse and a shopping bag. It was clear to Tyler that she had come right before heading for bed, and seeing her in these clothes for a change brought him thoughts of coziness and snuggling. His face was completely flushed while he in turn tried to flush these from his head, but thankfully, the dark of the night hid his embarrassment as he swallowed and attempted to calm himself.

Hilariously, Marie also seemed surprised to see him outside this late. He was expecting some sort of witty remark from her but she looked similarly unprepared. She hesitated for a moment then waved. Tyler smirked, a bit more at ease, and waved back, then the two of them walked towards each other.

Tyler stumbled on his words for a moment. “I, uh…what’s up?”

“Had trouble…falling asleep. Nothing out of the ordinary, I guess, but…just wanted to, uh…chill with…you. You couldn’t sleep too?”

“Yeah, I was just…trying to work things out. There’s been some things on my mind and the cabin felt a little cramped, so…”

“I get that. I figured too that I didn’t want to just sit on these gifts for you, you know?” Marie held up the shopping bag.

Tyler’s eyes widened and his blush came back. “Oh, really? That’s sweet, you guys didn’t have to!”

“Well, it’s meant to be a…thank you, for taking over and, well, everything else really.”

“Speaking of, the whole point of me doing this was getting you _out_ of Octo Canyon for a little bit. As in like…a few days maybe, not a few hours.”

Marie raised an eyebrow, teasingly pulling back the bag. “I mean, I could take my gifts and _leave_ if you really want me to.”

Tyler sighed and smirked again, adding in a faux-exasperated tone, “Well, since you’re _already_ here…”

Marie smiled back.

Tyler gestured to the cabin. “Why don’t we…uh…head inside? I don’t think we need to worry about Octavio getting out.”

Marie glanced over at the snow globe. Surrounded by a sea of bright orange and ink mines, Octavio, grumpy even in his sleep, snored inside the glass. She took a deep breath and followed Tyler.

Tyler had moved his stuff to the side of the couch, giving Marie space to sit. She placed her purse on the table and handed the shopping bag to him. Tyler pulled out the clothing, gushing over each one.

“Awh, you remembered my favorite color!”

“Of course, dude.”

T-shirts, plaid shirts, a flannel jacket. He put on a cyan hat with a pixelated squid, then stopped for a moment, looking in the bag. Marie was confused for a moment, until he looked back up at her with a defeated smile on his face as he pulled out the Squid Sisters t-shirt.

“Oh my cod, I totally forgot about that! Wait, wait, let me get a picture for Callie!” Marie pulled out her phone, snapping a picture as Tyler held up the shirt and stuck out his tongue.

“Thank you _soooooooo_ much.” Tyler said in a sarcastic tone. “I’ll be sure to wear it when I’m in the front row for you guys’ next concert.”

“Gotta show how much you _looooove _me_…_u…us.” Marie stuttered briefly.

Tyler turned away, blushing, and hesitated giving a response. “T…tell you what, I’ll start wearing it under my Hero Jacket from now on. It’ll give me…uh…all the good luck I need.”

The two of them were silent for a moment, then Tyler looked back up at Marie. He was surprised to find that she was a bright red too, and even more when she didn’t look away from him.

Marie closed her eyes and took another deep breath in. “So, Ty…when I dropped by tonight, I wasn’t really sure about what would…go down, but…there was more than just not being able to sleep. I really wanted to talk to you about…” She paused briefly. “…us…and stuff.”

“Oh? Because I’ve kinda had…us…on my mind too, to be honest.”

Marie found it hard to speak again, even though she had rehearsed what she planned to say a hundred times over during the drive. “I really couldn’t have predicted how things would’ve gone when I first spotted you in the plaza. I was just looking for an agent…but I found…a really great friend too.”

Tyler’s heart was pounding. “Oh, uh, thank you, I mean…”

Marie interrupted, trying to get the words out while they were still in her head. “But even more than that, Ty, you’re funny and caring and sweet and thoughtful and…I just can’t believe just how close we’ve managed to become during all of this. I’m just…uh…” She teared up slightly. “…really glad to have you.”

“I…I feel the same way, Marie. Like, I honestly couldn’t have imagined me getting to this place right now. Being an agent, being your…close friend. I’ve told you before how much all of this…how much _you_ have changed me for the better. And I keep wanting to be better. A better agent, a better friend, a better…anything…for you.”

The two of them looked into each other’s eyes deeply. Tyler’s face was burning, and even though signs of Marie’s own affection for him were staring him in the face, anxiety welled up in his throat.

“Marie?”

“Mmhmm?”

Tyler clenched the couch cushion with his hands, trying to let out the words.

“I…I really like you, Marie. I mean, a…as a friend, of course, but, I’m…crushing on you too.”

Marie let out a slight gasp. She was silent for a few moments, then put out her hand on top of Tyler’s. His heart soared at the touch, but he resisted showing anything outwardly, cautiously waiting for any certain affirmation.

Finally, Marie spoke. “Cod, you know, I’ve performed live in front of _thousands_ of squids, but…turns out all that’s needed to it hard for me to say anything is…just one you.”

Tyler let out a chuckle.

Marie pushed forward while she still had the bit of courage from her quip. “I guess what I’m trying to say is…I really like you too, Tyler.”

Tyler’s grip on the couch softened, and he squeaked out, “…the same way?”

Marie sighed. “Yes, the same way, you dork!”

She turned her body towards him and enveloped him in a massive hug, rivaling any Tyler had received from Callie. He, too, wrapped his arms around her tightly. Tyler felt her own heart beating as they held each other, and he leaned his head over, resting it against hers. He relaxed and a tear rolled out of his eye as he took everything in: her warm embrace, the smell of her hair as she laid against him. Tyler’s mind raced with memories of what they had been and thoughts what they could be together.

Marie loosened her grip, and Tyler let go as she sat up and faced him. She moved both her hands down his arms, stopping when their hands were loosely holding. Tyler wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself until he saw Marie moving her face closer to his own. He closed his eyes as their faces were almost touching, and Marie’s lips pressed up against his own. Fireworks seemed to go off in his chest. His face went red-hot, and yet he swore he could feel the same heat coming from her face as they were pressed together.

Though it seemed to last an eternity, it had only been a moment when Marie leaned back and opened her eyes, leaving her taste on Tyler’s lips. He couldn’t help but let out a wide smile and laugh, and Marie gave a smile back.

Tyler squeezed Marie’s hands. “I think this is the first time I’ve seen you blush.”

Marie let out a content breath and tilted her head with a smirk. “Is that the only thing you can come up with after we just _kissed_?”

Tyler laughed. “I don’t know, it might take a few more for me to come up with something really witty.”

“Well, I’ll make you a deal. You keep being cute, I’ll keep blushing, and we can keep kissing.”

“Deal.”

The two of them gazed each other in pure contentment.

Tyler broke the silence. “It’s…uh…getting a little hot in here, it feels like.”

“Do you want to go outside? It might be nice to look at the sky…together.”

“Oh, sure!”

Tyler grabbed his pillow and blanket from the sofa and walked with Marie into the cool air outside. She laid down on the cushioned bench outside, and gestured for Tyler to lay down next to her. He placed his pillow behind Marie’s head and sat down on the bench, and Marie wrapped the two of them together in the blanket, squeezing the two of them close together, then rested her hand and cheek on his shoulder.

“I thought Callie was supposed to be the cozy one,” Tyler remarked.

Marie smirked and looked up at him. “Don’t get me wrong, teasing each other is great, but I feel like we have plenty of time for that in the future. For now…I want to just…enjoy your company.” Her hand reached down to find Tyler’s under the blanket. He smiled and squeezed back, and the two of them relaxed, looking up to the sky.

Unlike Inkopolis Square, which was constantly bustling and full of neon, Octo Canyon had a vast tranquil emptiness, and without all the light pollution from the city, they could see the beautiful streamers of stars across the sky. The two of them silently stargazed for a while, but now that their minds finally had a chance to settle, they began to drift away into sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Tyler opened his eyes, the morning sun peering through the nearby trees. The romanticism of the night sky was gone, leaving behind the relatively drab concrete and mountains of the canyon. Despite this, he didn’t lose any of the warm fuzzy feelings from the night before, as he looked over to see Marie softly resting on his right shoulder, holding onto his arm. He watched her for a few moments, content and confident in how much she truly cared for him. An errant sunbeam fell on her eyes, rousing her.

“Ugh...this is why I was on Team Night Owl. Morning, Ty.”

“Good morning, Marie. I don’t even remember falling asleep last night,” he chuckled.

“Well, I don’t really care for napping outside, but considering it was with you…I don’t mind _too_ much.” She smiled, then scratched her cheek. “Although I do hope nothing bit me.”

Tyler sniffed the air. “Speaking of biting…do you smell something?” He sat up.

Marie followed, taking her hand briefly to right herself then quickly moving it back again over Tyler’s. “Yeah, I smell…vanilla?”

The front door to the cabin burst open. “Gooooooood morning, you two cuddlefish!” Callie was leaning out the doorway, grinning from ear to ear.

Marie sighed and gave an amused smile. “I guess you found my note?”

“Yep! I ran over here as soon as I could to meet you two. Then I saw you were still napping and it was sooooo adorable!”

Tyler blushed.

“Soooo I decided to treat you both by finally picking up that waffle maker! Breakfast is almost ready if you two want to come inside.” Callie stuck her tongue out at them, then stepped back inside to finish preparing.

Marie turned to Tyler, grinning embarrassedly. “Yeah, I…talked to Callie yesterday about me liking you so…I mean, you know her; she’s just a little overexcited. Get ready for gushing and a lot of teasing.”

Tyler smirked. “It’s fine. Really, I’m just glad that…we get to start…being something together.”

He got up and held out the hand Marie wasn’t holding. She took it as well and stood up, and he squeezed both of her hands tightly. “Are you ready?”

Marie gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m behind you all the way.”

They kept his right and her left hand holding, and Tyler opened the door to lead Marie inside. While they stepped forward to waffles and Callie’s adoring questions for now, they both looked forward to the future as well, to being together at last and with bright hopes for their time ahead.


End file.
